A Couple Unrelated Thoughts

Painful Stupidity
First and foremost on my mind is the pain I am feeling in my toes/foot. I hate to suggest that marrying a Horne man makes a woman more succeptible to toe injuries, but in the last several months, my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law have both broken their toes. Now, not to be out done, I have at least severely bruised 3 of mine. I did this by walking across our playroom and slamming my foot into the wooden leg of the love seat. Not too smart. I think one of the worst things about an injury like this is how really stupid I feel about it. However, I think after a few days of staying off it as much as possible (keep those 4 kids of ours in mind), it should heal quite nicely. By then, I’ll stop feeling stupid about it too.

Loftier Thoughts
I recently started re-reading the Susan Howatch novels I have read and recommended in the past. I do not suggest that we should use novels as devotional material, but occasionally, an author can put thoughts into words in such a way that the reader can draw personal application. So I thought I would share the passage that I found thought-provoking and somewhat helpful from the second book of the Starbridge series, Glamourous Powers:

This is from an entry in the notes of the main character Jonathan’s counseling session with his spiritual director
“Why am I living this impossibly difficult life? And I said: ‘You’re here because you’re called to be here. You’re here because God requires you to serve Him in this hard, difficult way. You’re here because if you weren’t here your personality would disintegrate beneath the burden of your weaknesses. You’re here becuase it’s the only way you can survive.’ Then he broke down and cried,:’But how do I bear it?’ and I answered: ‘Think of others, not yourself, and you’ll find not only liberation from the dark side of your sould, but fulfillment of your ability to great good and live in harmony with your true self.’

Your theory is an interesting one, Jennifer, and one that should be given further consideration. It is true that while I have walked around the house without shoes on for YEARS, and while I have suffered many painful and at times rather amazing injuries (fishing trip resulting in a fishhook in my calf, ending with a trip to the ER; sitting on a chair, breaking that chair, then having several chunks of broken wood jammed into the underside of my foot – this was yet another terrible emergency room visit; head into a radiator requiring stitches, yes, again to the hospital; shall I go on??), I never once harmed a toe till I married Jay.

You have also reminded me that I need to read some of the later Howatch novels.

When I was a tiny baby, a wicked witch visited my parents and wanted to take me. Of course my parents refused to part with their cuddly bundle of joy, so the witch put a curse on me. My parents told me of the incident but would never reveal just what the curse was. They were always vague, saying things like, “It will never affect you directly.”

As someone who has broken a few toes in my time (the first while dropping a plate glass window on the pinky toe) while NOT being married to a Horne man, I think I can remain objective here. I do know the searing pain in the toeical regions and I empathize with all of you Horne-types.

On the loftier subject, I think the time has come to read something worthwhile (and not just baby name books–mostly because I’m sick to death of them) and you have given me a good suggestion! Thanks!

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Musings and contemplations about trying to live a full and meaningful life